Household appliance including information light device

ABSTRACT

A household appliance includes an information light device that projects light onto a surface to enable a user to determine whether or not the household device is in operation. The information light device may include a light guide. The light guide may be disposed along a side portion of the household appliance.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of, and is a divisional of U.S.application Ser. No. 13/647,441, filed Oct. 9, 2012, which claims thebenefit of and is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Application No.29/410,163, filed Jan. 5, 2012, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S.application Ser. No. 13/043,504, filed Mar. 9, 2011. Each applicationmentioned above is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a household appliance and moreparticularly, to a household appliance including an information lightdevice and method thereof that allows a user of the household applianceto determine when the household appliance is in operation or not.

2. Related Art

In the related art, household appliances, such as dishwashers typicallygenerate enough noise that a user may tell by the noise whether or notthe dishwasher is in operation. However, some dishwashers may be soquiet that a user cannot hear when the dishwasher is in operation.Therefore, some of these dishwashers currently have an “infolight spot”where a light spot projected from the dishwasher shines on a kitchenfloor, indicating that the dishwasher is in operation. When the washcycle ends and the dishwasher turns off, the dishwasher turns off theinfolight spot so that the light spot on the kitchen floor disappears.By the appearance and disappearance of the light spot, the user knowswhen the dishwasher is in operation or not.

The present invention introduces a household appliance with aninformation light device referred herein as an “infolight glow”, whereinstead of a light spot, the infolight glow produces a band or stripe oflight (e.g., about as long as a width of the household appliance) ontothe floor to indicate an operating status of the household appliance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the invention is to provide a visual indication of whetheror not an appliance is in operation which can be seen from relativelyfar distances (e.g., from the other side of the room or from an adjacentroom).

Another aspect of the invention relates a household appliance comprisingan information light device disposed adjacent a side portion of theappliance. The information light device includes a light guide thatextends along a substantial length of the side portion and is configuredto emit light in accordance with an on/off status of the appliance.

Another aspect of the invention relates a a method of indicating anoperating status of a household appliance comprising the steps ofproviding a light guide on an appliance; generating light by a lightsource through the light guide when the appliance is in operation; andprojecting the light onto an exterior surface of the appliance or asurface adjacent the appliance.

Another aspect of the invention relates a household appliance comprisinga main body, at least one light emitting diode (LED) disposed in anupper portion of the main body, and a door pivotally coupled to the mainbody, wherein the LED is configured to emit light in accordance with anon/off status of the appliance, the LED is configured to project thelight away from the LED such that the light appears as an area of lighton a surface, and the surface is part of the door or part of a memberadjacent the door.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features of this disclosure will be more readilyunderstood from the following detailed description of the variousaspects of the disclosure taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings that depict various exemplary embodiments of the disclosure, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a household appliance including an informationlight device known as an “infolight glow” according to an exemplaryembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 depicts a light guide according to an exemplary embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 3 depicts the light guide of FIG. 2 disposed on an inside at abottom area of a door of the household appliance according to anexemplary embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 depicts the light guide of FIG. 2 assembled on a bottom surfaceof the household appliance, such as on a lower side of a toe panelaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a dishwasher door having a light guidein a lower portion thereof according to another embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the dishwasher door of FIG. 5;

FIG. 6-1 is a cross-sectional view along the line 6-1-6-1 in FIG. 6;

FIG. 6-2 is an enlarged detail taken from FIG. 6-1;

FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of a dishwasher having a toe paneland including a door having a light guide in a lower portion thereofaccording to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7-1 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 6-2 showing anadjustment mechanism for adjusting a location of the light guideaccording to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a dishwasher door having a light guidein an upper portion thereof according to another embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 9 is a top view of the dishwasher door of FIG. 8;

FIG. 9-1 is a cross-sectional view along the line 9-1-9-1 in FIG. 9;

FIG. 9-2 is an enlarged detail taken from FIG. 9-1;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a dishwasher door having a recessedhandle area and a light guide disposed in an upper portion of the dooraccording to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 11 is a front view of the dishwasher door of FIG. 10;

FIG. 11-1 is a cross-sectional view along the line 11-1-11-1 in FIG. 11;

FIG. 11-2 is an enlarged detail taken from FIG. 11-1;

FIG. 12 is a partial perspective view of a dishwasher having a lightguide in an upper portion thereof according to another embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 13 is a top view of the dishwasher of FIG. 12;

FIG. 13-1 is a cross-sectional view along the line 13-1-13-1 in FIG. 13;

FIG. 13-2 is an enlarged detail taken from FIG. 13-1;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged detail taken from a cross-sectional view of adishwasher according to another embodiment of the invention similar tothe view in FIG. 13-2;

FIG. 14-1 is an enlarged detail taken from a cross-sectional view of adishwasher according to another embodiment of the invention similar tothe view in FIG. 13-2;

FIG. 15 is a partial perspective view of a dishwasher having lightguides or LED's in an upper portion thereof according to anotherembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 16 is a partial perspective view of a dishwasher having lightguides or LED's in an upper portion thereof and a door with a recessedhandle area according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 17 is a partial perspective view of a dishwasher having lightguides or LED's in an upper portion thereof according to anotherembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 18 is a top view of the dishwasher of FIG. 17;

FIG. 18-1 is a cross-sectional view along the line 18-1-18-1 in FIG. 18;

FIG. 18-2 is an enlarged detail taken from FIG. 18-1;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the light guide of FIG. 2;

FIG. 20 is a front view of the light guide of FIG. 19;

FIG. 21 is a right side view of the light guide of FIG. 19;

FIG. 22 is a left side view of the light guide of FIG. 19; and

FIGS. 23-1 and 23-2 are block diagrams representing a process ofindicating an operating status of a household appliance according to anexemplary embodiment of the invention.

The drawings are merely schematic representations, not intended toportray specific parameters of the invention. The drawings are intendedto depict only typical embodiments of the invention, and thereforeshould not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention. In thedrawings, like numbering represents like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a household appliance of thepresent invention, such as a dishwasher 10. The dishwasher 10 maycomprise a door 2 which is suitable for tiltable opening via a pivotableconnection to the dishwasher. On a lower side of the door 2, thedishwasher 10 may include a base cover or toe panel 3. The basecover/toe panel 3 may protect a user of the dishwasher 10 frominadvertently accessing a space where the electronics and otherfunctional components (not shown) of the dishwasher 10 may be located,thereby protecting both the user for safety purposes and the electroniccomponents from damage. The dishwasher 10 may further include a doorseal 4 plugged onto the base cover/toe panel 3 to seal a space betweenthe door 2 of the household appliance and the toe panel 3.

On a lower side of the door 2 or base cover/toe panel 3, the dishwashermay include an information light device 20 known as an “infolight glow”that produces a band or stripe of light on a floor of the dishwasheracross a substantially large width of the dishwasher to indicate anoperating status of the dishwasher. The information light device 20 isconfigured to produce the stripe of light when the on/off status of thedishwasher is “on,” or in other words, during a wash cycle. Not onlydoes the information light device 20 project light over a larger area onthe floor which increases visibility particularly from relatively fardistances (e.g., across a room), but the information light device 20also produces a glow as compared to the “infolight spot” which alsoenhances visibility especially from relatively far distances.

FIG. 2 depicts an information light device 20 according to an exemplaryembodiment of the invention. The information light device 20 may includea housing 21 as a light guide or wave guide as known in the art andshown in FIGS. 2 and 19-22. A light source 22 may be disposed on atleast one end of the light guide 21, wherein the light source 22generates light that travels through the light guide 21. The light guide21 may be structured to allow at least part of the light to exit thelight guide 21 in a direction that is perpendicular to the light guideand onto the floor. The light guide 21 may be formed of a side glowfiber or other material known in the art for use as a light guide orwave guide. Further, the light source 22 may be a light-emitting diode(LED).

The light guide 21 may be placed on the household appliance in locationsthat allow for light to shine in a band or stripe of light along thefloor on which the dishwasher is disposed. FIG. 3 depicts the lightguide 21 disposed on an inside at a bottom area of the door 2. FIG. 4depicts the light guide 21 assembled on a bottom surface of thedishwasher, such as on a lower side of the toe panel 3. As depicted inFIGS. 3 and 4, the length of the light guide may be about equal to thewidth of the dishwasher/household appliance 10.

The door seal 4 that seals a space between the door 2 of thedishwasher/household appliance 10 and the toe panel 3 may be formed, forexample, from a transparent Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) material thatallows the light exiting the light guide 21 to travel from the lightguide 21, through the door seal 4, and onto a floor where the householdappliance is disposed. Of course, other materials may be used for thedoor seal 4 that typically include a hard component for support and asoft component for flexibility. Further, in another embodiment of thedishwasher/household appliance 10, the door seal 4 may be disposed ofentirely so that the light that perpendicularly exits the light guide 21shines directly onto the floor.

To ensure that the band or stripe of light along the floor of thedishwasher/household appliance 10 is crisp or clear, one or more lenses(not shown) may be included to focus the light that exits the lightguide 21.

In another embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 to 6-2, a dishwasher door 210 mayinclude a window 220 in a bottom surface 218 thereof through which lightfrom the light guide 21 is projected onto the floor adjacent the door210. The “windows” described herein include openings fitted with atransparent material. It is noted that inclusion of the transparentmaterial is optional. As best shown in FIG. 5, the door 210 alsoincludes side surfaces 214 (only one is shown), a front surface 212, anda top surface 216. Referring particularly to FIG. 6-2, the light guide21 extends along a bottom portion of the door 210 and projects lightthrough the window 220. The transparent material of the window 220 mayhave a planar configuration, or may be angled as shown in FIG. 6-2.

In another embodiment, a dishwasher 300 includes a toe panel 322 belowthe door 210, as shown in FIG. 7.

Additionally, the location of the light guide 21 in the dishwasher maybe adjusted to control the location and/or width W of the band or stripeof light which appears on the floor, as shown for example in FIG. 7-1.The dishwasher may include a mechanism for adjusting the location of thelight guide both horizontally in the directions of the arrow A andvertically in the directions of the arrow B. The mechanism may be usedto prevent the band or stripe of light from appearing on the toe panel322.

Instead of projecting light onto the floor adjacent the dishwasher, thelight guide may be arranged in a top portion of the dishwasher door toproject light onto an adjacent surface (e.g., underside of countertop,recessed handle area of dishwasher).

For example, in an embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 to 9-2, a dishwasher door410 may include a window 420 in a top surface 416 thereof through whichlight from a light guide 21 is projected above the door 410 and onto asurface (e.g., underside of countertop) adjacent the door. The door 410may include a handle 424 disposed on a front surface of the door which auser may grasp to aid in opening the door 410.

Turning to FIGS. 10 to 11-2, in another embodiment, a dishwasher door510 includes a recessed handle area 526 disposed on a front surface 512thereof. The recessed handle area 526 is recessed into the front surface526 and may include a handle portion to aid in opening/closing the door.The recessed handle area 526 includes a window 520 extending in thewidth direction of the door 510 and an adjacent inclined surface 528.The light guide 21 is disposed in an upper portion of the door 510 andprojects light downwardly through the window 520 and onto the inclinedsurface 528 where the light is visible to a user.

In another embodiment, a dishwasher 600 includes a main body 605 and adoor 610, as shown in FIGS. 12 to 13-2. The door 610 includes a window620 in a top surface 616 thereof. A light guide 21 is disposed in anupper portion of the main body 605. The light guide 21 projects lightthrough an interior window 630 in the main body 605 and into an adjacentupper portion of the door 610 which includes a window 640. The upperportion of the door 610 also houses a reflector 632 which reflects thelight through the window 620 formed in the top surface 616 of the door610. The reflector 632 may be angled appropriately to direct the lightas desired.

The main body 605 may also include a window 650 below the light guidewhich may be utilized to direct light downwardly into the main body 605of the dishwasher when the door 610 is open. The light may have a blueor red hue to provide an aesthetically appealing effect. It will beappreciated that other colors may be used.

In yet another embodiment, a door 710 having a recessed handle area 726may be used with the main body 605, as shown in FIG. 14. The recessedhandle area 726 includes a window 720 extending in the width directionof the door 710 and an adjacent inclined surface 728. In thisconfiguration, the upper portion of the door 710 houses a reflector 732which reflects the light downwardly through the window 720 and onto theinclined surface 728 in the recessed area 726. The reflector 732 may beangled appropriately to direct the light as desired. In anotherembodiment, shown in FIG. 14-1, the recessed handle area 726-1 mayextend into an interior of the main body 605 when the door 710-1 isclosed. By this arrangement, light from the light guide 21 may bedirected downwardly through a window 720-1 in the recessed handle areaand onto the inclined surface 728-1.

In alternative embodiments the light guide 21 may only extend partiallyacross a width of the dishwasher. Multiple light guides may also beused. Additionally, to meet space requirements, the information lightdevice 20 may exist only of an LED. For instance, the arrangements shownin FIGS. 12 to 13-2 and 14 may be modified as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16to include two shorter spaced-apart light guides (or two spaced-apartLED's) 21. As a result, the top surface of the door may include twospaced-apart windows 820 aligned with the light guides or LED's, asshown in FIG. 15. Likewise, in an embodiment including a recessed handlearea, light may be directed downwardly through two spaced-apart windows920, as shown in FIG. 16. In yet another embodiment, a dishwasher mainbody 1005 may include the spaced-apart light guides or LED's 21 and maybe configured to direct the light directly upwardly through windows 1020formed in the main body, as shown in FIGS. 17 to 18-2.

It is noted that the windows described herein may be open areas or areasincluding a material sufficiently transparent to allow the light to passtherethrough. Further, the information light device may be disposed nearany side of the appliance (e.g., dishwasher) or appliance door,including lateral sides in addition to the upper and lower regionsdescribed herein.

An exemplary method of the invention is depicted in FIG. 23-1. In step510, the method may include generating light by a light source through alight guide, wherein light exits the light guide in at least a directionthat is perpendicular to the light guide. In step 520, the method mayinclude focusing the light as it exits the light guide.

In another example represented in FIG. 23-2, the method may include astep 610 of providing a light guide on an appliance. In step 620, themethod may include generating light by a light source through the lightguide when the appliance is in operation. In step 630, the light isprojected onto an exterior surface of the appliance or a surfaceadjacent the appliance.

The appliance (e.g. dishwasher) may include a controller having at leastone programmable processor that is controlled by instructions on acomputer readable medium to implement a method according to thedisclosed technology (e.g., the method steps described above).

It is noted that the steps described above are not intended to be anexhaustive list of the numerous steps of the disclosed method that maybe carried out through control of a processor. Further, steps 610, 620and 630 may each belong to a separate method, or may be implemented aspart of any of steps 510 and 520, or may further be carried out asseparate steps in any suitable order with regard to steps 510 and 520.

While only certain features of the invention have been illustrated anddescribed herein, many modifications and changes will occur to thoseskilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appendedclaims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fallwithin the true spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of indicating an operating status of ahousehold appliance, the method comprising the steps of: providing aplurality of information light devices in a spaced arrangement along aside of an appliance; providing a plurality of windows on the appliancecorresponding to the plurality of information light devices; generatinglight by the information light devices in accordance with a status ofthe appliance; and simultaneously directing the light from each of theplurality of information light devices through a respective window so asto project the light onto an exterior surface of the appliance or asurface adjacent the appliance to signal to a user the status of theappliance.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality ofinformation light devices comprises a plurality of light guides disposedin a spaced arrangement along a side of a door of the appliance.
 3. Themethod according to claim 2, wherein each information light deviceincludes a light-emitting diode (LED) to generate light that travelsthrough a respective light guide.
 4. The method according to claim 3,wherein each light guide is structured to allow at least part of thelight to exit the light guide in a direction that is perpendicular tothe light guide.
 5. The method according to claim 2, wherein eachinformation light device includes a light source that directs the lightdirectly from the light source through the respective window.
 6. Themethod according to claim 1, wherein the light source is alight-emitting diode (LED).
 7. The method according to claim 2, whereinthe light guide is a wave guide.
 8. The method according to claim 1,wherein the plurality of information light devices comprises a pluralityof light guides disposed in a spaced arrangement along a side of a mainbody of the appliance, and wherein the appliance includes a doorpivotally coupled to the main body.
 9. The method according to claim 8,wherein each information light device includes a light-emitting diode(LED) to generate light that travels through a respective light guide.10. The method according to claim 9, wherein each light guide isstructured to allow at least part of the light to exit the light guidein a direction that is perpendicular to the light guide.
 11. The methodaccording to claim 8, wherein each information light device includes alight source that directs the light directly from the light sourcethrough the respective window.